Gravity duplicator



Sept. 3, 1935. L. w. WAGNER 2,013,259

GRAVITY DUPLICATOR Filed April 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ['2 Ins/U 02,

4,3 l: Ada/g9 Zfl Mayne?" .3 "M MM Sept. 3, 1935.

L. W. WAGNER GRAVITY DUPLICATOR Filed April 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz/672507 hanging flexible composition pad Patented Sept. 3, 1935 Eugene Miller,

Application April 29,

15 Claims.

My invention relates to a duplicating machine, and particularly to a portable one which is manually operable and which is a time saving device through elimination of single sheet feeding.

The invention has among its objects the production of a machine of the kind described that is simple, inexpensive, efiicient and statisfactory and which will produce uniform copies. It also has as an object the production of a machine in which the printed copy is directly in front of the operator, thereby putting him in position to control the quality of the printing and to avoid the general fault of producing deep copies at first and very light copies after a short run.

A further object contemplates the utilization of certain principles of design and construction in order that the impression or pressure roller which forms a part of the structure is operable by gravity and permits the elimination of a spring pressure roller. The roller is of the proper weight to produce good copies, assuring an even pressure throughout the operation and producing a maximum number of clear copies. The use of the gravity roller in combination with a loosely reduces the strain on the composition coating, thereby assuring longer life and usefulness of the pad.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of a manually operable carriage which is pivotally connected to the high end of the table for supporting the impression roller and the inclusion of means to effectuate a mechanical movement for returning the carriage to its normal upstanding position after the carriage has been lowered.

Another object is to provide a structure of the kind referred to in which the impression roller is pivotally and slidably operatively related with respect to the carriage.

A further object is to loosely hang or otherwise secure a composition sheet to the carriage in a manner whereby it will adjust itself to gradually engage a sheet of paper to be printed.

A further object is the provision of an element pivotally supported with respect to the high end of the table so as to provide a rest for the impression roller after it has been forced up the inclined table by the means above referred to for returning the carriage to its normal upstanding position, said element also providing means for throwing the impression roller into an inoperable locked position.

A still further object of my invention is to design and construct a portable machine of the knock-down type, thus rendering the machine Aurora, 111.

1933, Serial No. 668,614 (01. 101-133) readily collapsible to form a compact unit and one which may be easily and quickly assembled.

Many other objects and advantages of the structure will appear after reading the description in view of the drawings annexed hereto wherein 5 the several parts of the machine are designated by certain numerals.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more par- 10 ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the as-- sembled machine with the carriage in its up- 15 standing normal position;

Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation of the structure disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and shows the carriage in an operative position;

Fig. 4 is a side view in elevation showing the machine in a collapsed condition; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View showing the particular construction employed for securing the 25 ends of the composition sheet to the carriage.

Referring to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, I represents a plate or table which is provided with means for supporting the same at an inclination, consisting of feet 2 at one end and a folding sup-, port at the opposite or elevated end. Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the plate is provided with brackets 3 to which is pivoted a U-shaped leg 3 which is preferably provided with cushions or pads 5. A brace member 6 is connected to the lower cross piece 4 of the leg and is formed with a hook 8 arranged to engage with a latch l on the under side of the table. As shown, the free ends of the U-shaped legs 4 are bent outwardly 40 and are pivoted in the brackets 3 which are formed with notches 3' to receive the leg below the ends 5. When the brace or securing memher 6 is hooked on the latch 1 the resiliency or spring of the legs 4 tend to maintain the same tight and in engagement with the latch.

Extending across the machine and carried by the brackets 3 is a bar 9 which carries a bridge, roll support or rest in, the same being provided with members I I which are wrapped around the bar 9 and pivotally maintain the same in place. The part If; is preferably provided with the upstanding portion H at the rear which serves as a stop for the roller, as will be hereinafter described.

Pivotally mounted onthe bar 9 is the U-shaped carriage or frame consisting of the sides is and cross bar H providing a handle. Springs it or the equivalent tend to raise the frame members E to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The carriage or frame carries and controls a pressure roller l8 of a desired size and weight, the same being rotatably carried by the roller arms is which are shown connected by the end connecting portion 23. The arms iii are pivotally and slidably connected to the arms Ed by means of the members 28, each of which consists of a part pivotally secured to a side frame by a bolt or rivet 2i and provided with the offsets 22, the arms if; being slid-ably carried by the offsets 22.

A gelatin or like pad 26, consisting of a body part of fabric provided with a gelatin or composition coating 2l, is arranged on rods 25; and

3!. Rod 29 is carried in notches 3G in the side.

frames, while rod 3! is carried in spring brackets 32 arranged on the under side of the bridge iii. The composition sheet may be secured to the rods 29 and 3! in any suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 5 the sheet 26 is turned over the rod and stitched back upon itself, it being understood that any suitable reenf-orcement or fastening means may be employed. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 3 that the composition sheet is of greater length than the direct distance between the rods 29 and 3! when the same are in operative positions, so that there is some slack to the composition sheet. The table is shown provided with a plate 33 carrying paper guides 3d and 35, being a suitable lock for locking the same in adjusted position. In Fig. 1, I have shown a sheet 3'5 carried by the table with characters 33 thereon indicating any writing, printing, typewriting, drawing or the like, this representing either material to be reproduced or duplicated matter, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the negative from which duplicates are made is shown on the composition sheet, being indicated at 39. It is desirable to provide an adjustable stop ii} engageable with an edge of the table so as to prevent the composition pad from engaging any of the various guides such as 36.

It may be mentioned that in using a device of this kind the material to be duplicated is applied to a sheet with indelible ink, pencil, carbon paper, colors or whatever is suitable, and the same transferred to the composition sheet by contact, after which the material is transferred from the composition sheet to successive sheets which are duplicates of the original material of which copies are desired.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows, assuming that the same is packed and folded down in its container for shipping or storage purposes; After removal of the device from its box the connecting lock rod 5, together with the support 4, are swung around the table or plate i and the latch 8 engaged with the cooperating latching member l. The machine is then placed on a level support and the roller l8 lifted, releasing the pad carrying frame lb. The roller is then placed against the curved back l2 of the rest or bridge it, which operation will raise the bridge and expose the two catches 32 beneath the same for convenient hanging of the composition pad rod 3!. The catches 32 are resilient so that the rod may be snapped into place. The rods 29 and 3! are then inserted in the composition pad through the loops 2d at each end and rod 29 is hooked into the notches 3i) and rod 3i snapped into place in the catches 32, the

pad being hung with the composition side out or facing the operator at the front or low end of the machine. Before the pad is hooked into place in the latches below the bridge the same is placed on a smooth surface and gone over lightly with a soft sponge previously moistened with warm water in winter and cold in summer. The steps in duplicating then follow substantially in the following order: Place the package of paper, which is to receive the copies, on the table and against the upright paper guides as shown in the drawings. Turn paper guide lock 35 up, which releases the paper guide and permits free sliding up or down the table bed. Move the paper guide up to a point where the front edge of the paper stack is below the front edge of the bridge ii! and lock the paper guide by turning the stock lock 36 down. Next lift the roller from rest it from which it will then roll against the hanging composition pad. For the purpose of removing any excessive moisture that might have been left on the pad from the sponging, operate the machine by placing the right hand on the handle it and moving the carriage frame down slowly. As the frame goes down the roller follows the pad, pressing it against the paper over which the pad is being pressed. While doing this, place the finger tips of the left hand on the top sheet of the paper stack at the lower left hand corner and lift the top sheet from the pile as the right hand permits the frame to return to its original upright position. Any excessive moisture having been removed, the original or master copy to be reproduced is now placed on top of the paper pile, with the copy facing the composition. Pull down the carriage slowly again and keep the carriage down for about a minute or less according to the number of copies desired. While holding'the carriage down with one hand, take hold of the roller frame with the other hand and allow the roller to pass a few times over the back of the master copy, which operation will insure a good contact with the pad. This done, the carriage is lifted again and the master copy removed. The printing is now only a repetition of the same performance of pulling the carriage or frame down and with the left hand removing each sheet from the pile as the roller is returning to the top. In order to get the greatest number of copies, the operation should be at a good speed when starting and slowing down towards the finish. The printed copy being directly in front of the operator, he will know when the copies are getting faint, at which time the process of printing should be slowed down. 1 It will be noted that the spring tension pad hanging frame facilitates the easy return of the roller back to the starting point and makes the operation of the machine easy and less tiring to the operator. The printing or composition pads may be easily and quickly replaced and the flexible pad assures less strain on the composition coating so that the life and usefulness of the pad is of considerable length. The device is compact and when folded, takes very little space in shipment or storage. It is obvious that the same principles involved in the present described design can be used in various applications, as for instance, the embodiment of the general design in a machine using composition films in rolls.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to theexactform,

construction, arrangement and combination of Parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as Letters Patent is:

i. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage and a composition sheet operatively related to said table, an impression roller engageable with said sheet secure to said c ge adapted for movement down said inc ied table, and means acting upon said carriage for urging it to an upstanding position in order to return impression roller to the high end of said table.

2. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage operatively related to said table and connected to the high end thereof, and an impression roller connected to the said carriage and adapted for pivotal and slidable movement with respect thereto upon operation thereof.

3. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage and a composition sheet secured to said carriage operatively related to said table and connected to the high end thereof, an impression roller connected to said carriage for pivotal and slidable movement with respect thereto upon operation thereof, and means for returning said impression roller from the low end to the high end of said table.

4. In a machine of the kind described, a table, a carriage operatively related to said table, an impression roller pivotally and slidably journalled to said carriage adapted for travel on said table upon operation of said carriage, and means provided for returning said carriage and impression roller to a predetermined inoperative position following the operating period.

5. In a machine of the kind described, an in clined table, a carriage pivotally secured to the high end of said table, an impression roller secured to said carriage adapted for travel down said table by gravity upon a prescribed movement of said carriage, and means provided for returning the impression roller to the high end of said table upon releasing said carriage.

new and desire to secure by 6. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage pivotally secured to the high end of said table, an impression roller secured to said carriage adapted to travel down said table by gravity upon a prescribed movement of said carriage, means provided for returning the impression roller to the high end of said table upon releasing said carriage, and means providing a rest for said impression roller arranged above the face of said table.

7. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage operatively related to said table, an impression roller adapted for movement down said inclined table secured to said carriage, means acting upon said carriage to urge it to an upstanding position in order to return said impression roller to the high end of said table, and means rendering said machine collapsible to a substantially fiat position.

8. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage having an end secured to the high end of said table in a manner whereby said carriage is adapted for pivotal movement from an upstanding normal position to a lowered position opposite the face of said table, a sheet of composition material loosely supported by said carriage, a frame supporting a roller adapted to roll by gravity down said table secured to said carriage in a manner whereby said frame will pivot and slide with respect to said carriage to cause said roller to rollingly engage said composition sheet when the carriage is lowered and raised, a rest for said roller separating it from said sheet provided adjacent the high end of said table, and means provided for raising the ca riage to its normal upstanding position and the roller upon said rest.

9. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage pivotally secured to said table and operable from a normal upstanding position to a lowered position opposite the face of said table, a sheet of composition material loosely supported by its ends to said carriage, a frame supporting a roller pivotally and slidably connected to said'carriage whereby to allow said roller to roll by gravity down said table and rollingly engage said sheet when the carriage is lowered, and means provided to raise said carriage to its normal upstanding position and cause said roller to roll up said table and rollingly engage said sheet.

10. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage and a composition sheet secured to said carriage operatively related to said table and the former being connected to the high end thereof, a frame operatively related to said carriage, an impression roller secured to one end of said frame in a manner whereby operation of the carriage in one direction Will permit said roller to roll down said table, and means provided for urging said roller to roll along said table to the high end thereof.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a table, a carriage operatively related to said table, a composition sheet secured to said carriage, a frame slidably and pivotally connected to said carriage, an impression roller mounted on said frame and movably supported by said carriage and adapted for travel to force said sheet toward said table upon operation of said carriage, and means provided for returning said carriage and impression roller to a predetermined inoperative position following the operating period, said table, carriage and frame being connected together and relatively movable with respect to each other for rendering said machine collapsible to a substantially fiat position.

12. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage operatively related to said table, a composition sheet secured at its ends to said carriage in a manner whereby the intermediate portion of the sheet is adapted to sag below the plane of said carriage, an impression roller operatively related to said carriage and adapted to rollingly engage said sheet to urge it toward said table when said carriage is moved in one direction, means provided for returning the impression roller to the high end of said table upon releasing said carriage, and means providing a rest for said impression roller to separate the roller from the sheet when said carriage has reached its normal upstanding position adjacent the high end of said table.

13. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage having an end pivotally secured to the high end of said table in a manner whereby said carriage is adapted for movement from an upstanding normal position to a lowered position opposite the face of said table, a sheet of composition material secured to said carriage in a manner whereby the central portion of said material is adapted to sag, a frame supporting a roller adapted to roll by gravity down said table secured to the sides of said carriage in a manner whereby said frame will pivot and slide with re spect to said carriage to cause said roller to roll ingly engage said composition material when the carriage is lowered and raised.

14. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage pivotally secured to said table and operable from a normal upstanding position to a lower position opposite the face of said table, a sheet of composition material loosely supported to said carriage, a frame supporting a roller movably connected with respect to said carriage whereby to allow said roller'to roll by gravity down said table and rollingly engage said sheet when the carriage is lowered, and means provided for raising said carriage to its normal upstanding position and causing said roller to roll up said table and rollingly engage said sheet, said table, carriage and frame being pivotally connected together and operatively related to each other for rendering said machine collapsible to a substantially flat position.

15. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined table, a carriage pivotally mounted on said table adjacent the high end thereof, an impression roller operatively related to said table and pivotally and slidably connected tosaid carriage for permitting the roller'to roll down the table by gravity when said carriage is moved in one direction, and a composition sheet connected to said carriage and operatively related to said table and to said roller for moving the roller upwardly on said table when said carriage is moved in the opposite direction.

LUDWIG W. WAGNER. 

